The present invention relates to tag constructions attached to store shelves to provide price and product information about product on the store shelves, and more particularly relates to a price-and-information tag construction particularly configured for labor-efficient and secure placement on a display shelf.
The industry of printing price-and-information tags is highly specialized. This is because hundreds of thousands of tags must be produced and shipped each week to large retail stores for placement on shelves, and further because last minute price fluctuations, price decisions, and information changes result in a huge amount of data that is difficult to manage without error. Further, data shows that attractive and colorful price-and-information tags can positively affect customer decisions and increase sale volumes. On the other hand, inaccurate information and mispricing can cause customer confusion, dissatisfaction, adverse publicity, and even liability where the posted pricing doesn't match sales prices at the cash register.
Large retail stores often identify shelved product with price tags removably attached to a channel or extrusion tag holder extending along the shelves. One particular widely-used tag holder is extruded of resilient transparent plastic material in a shape for attachment to the narrow front edge of a store shelf. The extruded tag holder includes parallel panels forming an upwardly open pocket for receiving a first (rear-positioned) price-and-information tag, and further includes opposing flanges defining a narrow throat for engaging a top of a second (front-positioned) price-and-information tag to position the second tag in a hanging position in front of the first tag. This positions the second tag over the first tag where it can be used for advertising a “SALE” or discounted sale price, both printed on the second tag. Sometimes, only a front tag is attached, and the upwardly-open pocket is left unfilled. A problem is that the front tag can be accidentally knocked off of the tag holder (or knocked to an out-of-location position) by customers removing product from the shelf. This problem often becomes worse over time as the opposing flanges of the extruded tag holder weaken and/or wear and/or deform to a more spread position. Still another problem is that the front tag can be knocked to an offset position where the rear tag is visible, confusing customers, as well as creating a poor disheveled appearance unattractive for displayed product.
Another problem is the amount of manual labor for placement and replacement of the price-and-information tags. Every time there is a price change, such as when a sale ends, the first tag must be removed and another tag put in place. This results in substantial labor costs, both because of difficulty in accessing, gripping and removing the first tag, and also because of the time it takes to recognize a proper placement location for a tag. It is important to understand that the act of removing and replacing a tag only takes a few seconds, however when that time is multiplied by hundreds of thousands of tags, and further when the complexity and opportunity for error is increased by logistics based on the size of stores (and their different product locations and arrangements), the costs become very significant.
Yet another problem is that tags must be manually put in place, and the person placing the tag must read the tag and pay attention to where the tag must go. This has been partially solved by the concept of a patent application filed earlier than the present filing, where a digital press and software is used to arrange tags in the order of particular store shelf sequences. However, the opportunity remains for improvement to better utilize unskilled labor when placing price tags.
Another concern is cost and quality of tags. It is important that pricing-and-information tags be very attractive, clear, accurate, and provided on a just-in-time basis. A process and apparatus for providing competitive and highly-attractive price-and-information tags is disclosed in co-assigned application Ser. No. 11/612,821, filed Dec. 19, 2006, entitled METHOD OF PRINTING, DISTRIBUTING, AND PLACING PRICE INFORMATION. The entire contents of that application are incorporated herein in its entirety. However, further improvement is desired in terms of security of attachment of the tag to a shelf, ease of placement and removal, flexible use, and competitive low cost, while maintaining a high level of attractiveness for consumers.